For more than 40 years J.H. Hassinger Construction, Inc. has provided General Contracting and Power Infrastructure Services throughout the United States, with self-performance trades in Masonry, Concrete, and Carpentry. As the company continues to prosper and grow exponentially over the years, it comes down to one secret, their exceptional people and adaptability.
In 2025, J.H. Hassinger’s leadership empowered a new approach to their team engagement efforts, rooted in transparency and intentional culture development. Through the creation of 8 continuous improvement initiatives, team members from all areas of the organization, including both the field and the office, came together to collaborate on how to be more efficient, safer, innovative, and more profitable. These initiatives highlighted the power and impact of one of J.H. Hassinger’s most integral roles in the organization: The Trade Superintendent.
Straddling the documentation, budgets, and structure the office project management needs with the grit, efficiency and talent of their skilled labor force, the Trade Superintendent role highlights the importance of seamless communication, proven technical skills and natural leadership abilities required in successful concrete, carpentry and masonry trades.
Meet the J.H. Hassinger Trade Superintendents
Kris Gehring
J.H. Hassinger’s Kris Gehring has worked for the company for over 15 years, starting out as a Foreman, and now focusing on leading the concrete teams in his management role as Trade Superintendent-Concrete Division. One of four brothers and growing up on a dairy farm in St. Lawrence, Kris has been a hard worker his entire life. Joining the construction industry the summer after high school, as his dad required him to gain a year of experience outside the family farm, Kris recalls his first time on a jobsite working as a laborer with Groth Construction.
“Scratcher the excavator had a heart attack the Sunday before I started at Groth. So, I was at work literally an hour, I got picked up by the owner of the company, went back to the shop, hopped in a dump truck, drove it out to North Lake and dug a footing because they knew I could run equipment. That was my first day in construction.”
Almost a year after his first day on this jobsite, Kris started a 4-year carpentry registered apprenticeship program. When he graduated, Kris was the highest ranked carpenter apprentice in Wisconsin and nominated for Apprentice of the Year.
Recruited in 2010 for this knowledge, talent and engaging personality by Jim Hassinger, Founder and CEO of J.H. Hassinger Construction, Inc., Kris has been a proud member of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters’ for more than 15 years and has supported both the Vertical construction team and the traveling Power Division, prioritizing mentorship, safety, and fun in his management approach at J.H. Hassinger Construction, Inc.
When asked about his training and leadership style, Kris said, “It’s about figuring out what makes your team motivated. They want to feel understood and appreciated. Period.”
Kris delivers knowledge of both carpentry and concrete methods, allowing him to support his team’s needs. Additionally, J.H. Hassinger has upgraded several of its systems and protocols to help Kris and his team be successful. Kris enjoys his work so much, he recruited both his sons, Thomas and Timothy, to the J.H. Hassinger Family. As Kris continues to pass on knowledge to the next generation, he leads with humility and empathy, pulling on his own career growth experiences.
Dave Krause
For J.H. Hassinger’s Trade Superintendent-Carpentry, Dave Krause, some of his earliest construction memories go back to earning a quarter for every hour he spent cleaning his dad’s jobsites—a wage he jokes made him feel rich at the time. Even at this young age, he possessed his strong work ethic and attention to detail. Then after high school, Dave started his apprenticeship through the union, where he gained competitive pay, benefits, and high-quality training. As a second-generation carpenter, Dave received early exposure to the craft, put in substantial time and effort, and quickly developed his skills. Just as he continued the family’s legacy, he now shares his passion for the carpentry craft with his son, Landen.
Over 2 years ago, Mike Kirsch, Vice President of J.H. Hassinger Construction, Inc., sought out Dave for his craftsmanship, estimating abilities and mentorship style. Dave developed his talent for estimating carpentry as an extension of his previous family business with his Dad and brother, creating takeoffs for their projects. Now when working on J.H. Hassinger’s projects, these skills provide a valuable resource to the team.
When reflecting on his management style, Dave said, “It’s important to be part of the solution. I find it’s best if you’re in the trenches with the team, as much as you can be. If you’re in there helping.”
Dave, a member of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters’, went on to mention he finds it beneficial that all the J.H. Hassinger owners spent years working in the field before they took their leadership roles.
“By working in the field, not only did the owners gain a better understanding of construction processes, but they also gained a better understanding of the challenges their team might face in the day-to-day operations,” said Krause.
Dave’s experience and calm disposition make him an effective tradesperson and approachable leader. Since Dave’s transition to the Carpentry Superintendent role, J.H. Hassinger has completed several of their largest carpentry projects to date, including the 40,000 SF expansion and 20,000 SF renovation of the Moraine Park Technical College- Advanced Manufacturing wing. Dave and his team showcased their craftsmanship, creating custom serpentine seating and architectural wood features throughout the space. The most remarkable part of Dave is his humbleness. To Dave, “It’s all just part of doing a good job.”
James Fox
James Fox works as J.H. Hassinger’s Trade Superintendent-Masonry, where he supports the masonry construction teams. James entered the construction industry the summer after high school as a laborer for his grandfather’s concrete and masonry contracting company. Pretty soon after, he realized his enjoyment of the craftsmanship, outdoor working environment and the unique challenges masonry brings.
After realizing he wanted to become a bricklayer, James turned to the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) to begin his apprenticeship, where he received top-tier training, excellent benefits and competitive pay. His hard work, dedication, talent and training paid off, as he went on to place 2nd overall for the State of Wisconsin Apprenticeship contest 3 years in a row, and 7th nationally for the World of Concrete Apprenticeship contest in Las Vegas.
As an extension of his character and determination to create a legacy as strong as brick, James made an effort to use his craftsmanship for philanthropy. James says of all the achievements he’s earned in his young career, his most rewarding work was completing schools in Haiti through his church missions. After more than 5 trips, James and his team (including his wife) designed, ordered materials, raised funding and built five 2-classroom buildings in Haiti.
Jeff Hassinger, President of J.H. Hassinger’ Construction Inc., recruited James in 2025 to support the company’s expansion and future growth. He knew James was the right person for the role, as he shared his appreciation of high-performance construction and competition. When asked about his strategy for mentoring his team, James leverages his competitiveness to help his team be successful.
“It’s cool to build the structure of a building one piece at a time; it’s a challenge too. Every course of block is a race. Who’s faster, who’s more accurate, who can handle more difficult tasks? It’s always a competition between technique, time, quality, and safety.”
James set his goal to be a Masonry Superintendent very early in his career and achieved it quickly, based on his talent, drive, and ability to come straight at a challenge with finesse and determination. Celebrating 40 years of masonry self-performance, it’s no doubt the J.H. Hassinger Masonry Division continues to grow under James’ mentorship.
As James said, “Masonry is there forever, if you do it the right way.”
Always Growing, Always Adapting
What sets J.H. Hassinger Construction Services apart from their competitors is their people, culture, leadership approach, and systems. They prioritize hiring industry experts with great personalities who want to work hard, appreciate the challenges of the field, and enjoy the time they spend together as a team. Along with strategic hiring, J.H. Hassinger continually audits and adapts their operational systems to improve project efficiency, quality, and success throughout all levels of the organization.
As Kris Gehring describes it, “If you come to any one of our jobsites and could be a fly on the wall, I think you would understand why people like working here. We’re working hard, we’re getting stuff done, we’re taking care of the client, and we’re having fun.”
Learn more about J.H. Hassinger’s culture and current opportunities:
